The birth of a baby is probably the most intense experience of your life. Once baby arrives it is a time for healing, resting and bonding.
But when you add major surgery into the mix, things get a little more challenging. While Caesarean sections are a wonderful, life-saving option, there can be no denying that healing takes longer and can be more difficult. It is major abdominal surgery after all.
Here are some tips that can hopefully help you to recover from a C-section.
Plan for help after delivery
Whether you give birth vaginally or via C-section, some help and support in the immediate aftermath is always a good thing. If you know you'll be having a C-section, make arrangements to always have someone with you at the hospital. A little bit can go a long way.
Plan to take it easy when you get home
Again, accept help whenever it is offered. Your friends or relatives can bring you a meal or help to bathe or change the baby. You need to rest after delivery and healing may be prolonged if you try to do too much at once.
Set up baby care stations in a few places in your home like one in your living room, one in your bedroom and one in the nursery, so you don’t have to go up and down the stairs for every nappy/diaper change.
A tote or a basket with a swaddle, burp cloth, nappies/diapers, wipes and a change of clothes for baby is helpful to keep around so you're prepared wherever you happen to be resting.
Be patient with your body
Spending nine months growing a baby and then having major surgery means your body needs a bit of time to heal and get back to normal function. Many women post-surgery worry about that first time emptying their bladder and first bowel movement.
Especially since for C-section mothers, the hospital will be monitoring if and when you go for that all important first pee after the catheter is removed. For most, its a temporary issue. Just try to relax and you can try squirting some water on the area to stimulate urine flow.
Be kind to yourself
This is the time to be really kind to yourself. Ask for what you need, don't try to do too much and remember to take your pain medications as per recommended by your doctor. Even if you typically avoid medications, remember that you've just had major surgery.
Your baby needs a mother who is pain and stress free! If you are worried about breastfeeding while on medication, many pain relievers are considered safe and most likely your doctor has already prescribed the safe option for you.